Bathroom controller
First Claim
1. A fluid controller for controlling fluid temperature and flow through a fluid flow discharge outlet supplied with hot and cold fluid from hot and cold fluid sources respectively via respective hot and cold fluid supply pipes and which controller comprises:
- hot fluid flow-controlling valve means adapted to be installed in said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having hot fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of hot fluid therethrough;
cold fluid flow-controlling valve means adapted to be installed in said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having cold fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of cold fluid therethrough;
hot fluid temperature-sensing means adapted to be attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of hot fluid flowing through said hot fluid supply pipe;
cold fluid temperature-sensing means adapted to be attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of cold fluid flowing through said cold fluid supply pipe;
hot fluid flow-sensing means adapted to be attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of hot fluid therethrough;
cold fluid flow-sensing means adapted to be attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of cold fluid therethrough;
a signal processor including comparator means connectable to a principal electrical power supply and connected to said hot and cold fluid motor means, to said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and to said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means, and a memory means operatively associated with said signal processor and adapted to store predetermined parameters concerning desired hot and cold fluid temperatures and flow values, and said comparator means being adapted to process information from said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means and, in response thereto to calculate the temperature of the fluid at the discharge outlet and to compare said calculated temperature with a desired temperature in said memory means and to generate control signals for said hot and cold fluid motor means thereby to operate said hot and cold fluid flow-controlling valve means as needed to regulate the flow of hot and cold fluid in respective said hot and cold fluid supply pipes to procure the desired temperature at said discharge outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid controller for a fluid supply system such as the plumbing supply system for a bathroom comprises hot and cold fluid temperature sensors and flow sensors which are installed in respective ones of the hot and cold fluid supply pipes upstream of the fluid discharge outlet. Hot and cold fluid flow control valves operated by valve motors are also installed in such pipes. The sensors and motors are connected to a microprocessor including a comparator means which is operative to compare values programmed in a memory means with signals received from the sensors so as to generate control signals for the motors so as to obtain a desired fluid temperature and flow rate at the discharge outlet. The controller can be installed in an existing plumbing system without disturbing the existing faucets and manual control valves. Alternatively, the controller can be used in a new installation with or without manual control valves.
137 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A fluid controller for controlling fluid temperature and flow through a fluid flow discharge outlet supplied with hot and cold fluid from hot and cold fluid sources respectively via respective hot and cold fluid supply pipes and which controller comprises:
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hot fluid flow-controlling valve means adapted to be installed in said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having hot fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of hot fluid therethrough; cold fluid flow-controlling valve means adapted to be installed in said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having cold fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of cold fluid therethrough; hot fluid temperature-sensing means adapted to be attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of hot fluid flowing through said hot fluid supply pipe; cold fluid temperature-sensing means adapted to be attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of cold fluid flowing through said cold fluid supply pipe; hot fluid flow-sensing means adapted to be attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of hot fluid therethrough; cold fluid flow-sensing means adapted to be attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of cold fluid therethrough; a signal processor including comparator means connectable to a principal electrical power supply and connected to said hot and cold fluid motor means, to said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and to said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means, and a memory means operatively associated with said signal processor and adapted to store predetermined parameters concerning desired hot and cold fluid temperatures and flow values, and said comparator means being adapted to process information from said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means and, in response thereto to calculate the temperature of the fluid at the discharge outlet and to compare said calculated temperature with a desired temperature in said memory means and to generate control signals for said hot and cold fluid motor means thereby to operate said hot and cold fluid flow-controlling valve means as needed to regulate the flow of hot and cold fluid in respective said hot and cold fluid supply pipes to procure the desired temperature at said discharge outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fluid supply system comprising:
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hot and cold fluid sources; a fluid flow discharge outlet; hot and cold fluid supply pipes extending from respective ones of said hot and cold fluid sources to said fluid flow discharge outlet for the supply of hot and cold fluid respectively thereto; hot fluid flow-controlling valve means in said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having hot fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of hot fluid therethrough; cold fluid flow-controlling valve means in said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and having cold fluid motor means operatively associated therewith to operate same and to control the flow of cold fluid therethrough; hot fluid temperature-sensing means attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of hot fluid flowing through said hot fluid supply pipe; cold fluid temperature-sensing means attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the temperature of cold fluid flowing through said cold fluid supply pipe; hot fluid flow-sensing means attached to said hot fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of hot fluid therethrough; cold fluid flow-sensing means attached to said cold fluid supply pipe upstream of said fluid flow discharge outlet and operative to sense the rate of flow of cold fluid therethrough; and a signal processor including comparator means, connectable to a principal electrical power supply and connected to said hot and cold fluid motor means, to said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and to said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means, and said comparator means being adapted to process information from said hot and cold fluid temperature-sensing means and said hot and cold fluid flow-sensing means and, in response thereto, to calculate the temperature of the fluid at said discharge outlet and to compare said calculated temperature with a desired temperature and to generate control signals for said hot and cold fluid motor means thereby to operate said hot and cold fluid flow-controlling valve means as needed to regulate the flow of hot and cold fluid in respective said hot and cold fluid supply pipes to procure the desired temperature at said discharge outlet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification